


Fireflies

by hayan_champagne



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: F/M, Nerdiness, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:02:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29054850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayan_champagne/pseuds/hayan_champagne
Summary: Just like the fireflies, he didn't get noticed until it was dark.The description is a bit confusing right? But trust me, the story is a simple, yet heart fluttering love story. Just like I stated above, it took her long enough to see him, and hard times and little trouble had to surface for him to be noticed. It's the story of Park Chanyeol, the geek that nobody cared about.It's a oneshot so longer descriptions would be weird, so let's just move on to the story. Enjoy!!!~With lots of love, from hayan_champagne~
Relationships: Oh Sehun & Original Character(s), Park Chanyeol/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	Fireflies

“Omo, who’s that?”

“Sehun. THE. Oh. Sehun.”

Jihyo answered with a casual smirk, handing over her grape juice to the newcomer Dahyun.

“Given his height... Must be a member of the basketball team.”

“Correct! And not just a member, he’s one of the best.”

“Is he single?” Dahyun asked, not at all embarrassed about how eager she sounded for her first day at the sports academy.

“Yeah.” Jihyo chuckled. “Single with almost eighty percent of the girls on the academy crushing on him.”

Including Haji. The girl threw her tennis racket aside and took a seat beside her two friends, and started rummaging her backpack for her water bottle.

Not bothering to mention her secret crush of two years for the said guy.

And did he change his hair colour again?

The three girls watched ‘The Oh Sehun’ walk out of the indoor stadium, sporting the navy blue Versace Tee and matching black ripped jeans with white Nike sneakers, his backpack hanging carelessly over one shoulder and his slender fingers raking through his silvery-grey hair.

His hair was orange just six days ago! It’s not good to dye it so often!

“What a waste... He could become a model for Nike.” Dahyun sighed, handing over the juice back to Jihyo. “Wait...unnie, who’s the next one? There, the light brown head!”

A second guy joined Sehun, exiting the building and dragging the later into a conversation they couldn’t hear from the tennis courts. White shirt and washed denims with a leather back pack to match his honey brown hair, he too, was equally good looking as the first one, but his tanned face was more smiling than the poker face of the pale white Oh Sehun’s.

Jihyo threw a smirk Haji’s way. “You’ll need permission if you’re gonna eye him... That’s Kim Jongin. Our Haji’s brother.”

The newcomer gaped at Haji, earning a smile from the girl. “Do you even have any idea about how lucky you are? To have such a handsome brother?”

Haji chuckled, remembering what a fuss her brother makes every morning, pestering her and their mom asking how he can make girl swoon over him. Meanwhile her brother looked over at the tennis court, and noticing the three girls, he raised a hand and gestured his younger sister to come over. Haji stood up from the bench, and jogged over.

“Waah... I already envy her.” Dahyun sighed dreamily.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Jongin asked, when the girl approached him.

“Not yet oppa, there’s a new comer so we’re gonna hangout with her for a bit longer.”

“Which one? That blue skirt?”

“Geez oppa stop ogling it’s embarrassing! I’ll tell you about her later.”

“You better come home with full details. Okay we’re leaving then.”

Haji got a pat on her head, and Jongin walked away. Sehun started following him, after giving the girl a slight smile with a curt nod. That was enough for her to blush all over, and hiding the rapidly reddening face, she turned around to return to the tennis court.

That’s when he stepped out of the indoor stadium, quite in a rush to follow his two pals and it made them almost bump into each other.

Almost.

“Oh, Mian... Mian, Haji.”

The young lad’s face turned into a deeper shade than Haji’s, and he gave her a short bow without meeting her eyes, a hand running rub the back of his neck awkwardly, before he rushed past her to join his two team mates.

“What was that?”

Dahyun stared at the third guy who joined the first two, her pretty lips curling up in disapproval. “He totally ruined the scenery!”

“Geeky right?” Jihyo asked, watching the said male. “That’s Park Chanyeol.”

The oversized emerald green t shirt he was wearing, made him look more exhausted and haggard after an entire day of practicing, and his beige trousers, plain black trainers and black duffle bag made him completely different from his two stylish pals. Throwing his arms around Sehun’s and Jongin’s shoulders, he walked between them, standing taller than both, with the curls of his unruly black hair being as messy as possible.

“True, he’s such a fashion disaster and a complete geek...” Jihyo stood up as Haji finally joined them again. “But he’s the captain of the basketball team.”

It had been two years.

Two years since Jongin and Haji joined the sports academy, and Jongin started bringing his two friends over to their house.

Two years since Kim Haji fell head over heels for the ever-so-perfect friend of her brother, the flawlessly handsome Oh Sehun.

Two years since Park Chanyeol started having feelings for the girl who never noticed him, and only noticed his friend.

He didn’t mind, he never got noticed in his life anyway.

* * *

“I’m home!”

Haji flopped on the couch as soon as she entered the house, throwing her bag aside.

“Yah, go shower you sweaty little brat!” Jongin stepped out of his room. “Omma always nags me for lying there with dust and sweat on, but it’s you who do that!”

“Aish... As if we sweat galloons like you guys do.” Haji muttered, getting up from the couch. “OMMA! Oppa is yelling at me!”

Just then, Sehun stepped out from Jongin’s room, making the girl horrified.

Aish... me and my goddamn loud voice!

“Ah... I didn’t know you had friends over.” She smiled at Sehun meekly, earning a casual smile in return. “I’ll go find omma then.” She started hurrying towards the kitchen, but stopped midway suddenly remembering something. “By the way Sehun oppa,” she turned back, plastering on the most graceful smile she could come up with. “That colour looks great on you, your new hair colour.”

“Oh does it?” Sehun asked, ruffling his newly dyed hair in satisfaction. “It really does I guess... I got more than a dozen compliments today.”

“Oh.”

So I’m not the first to praise.

She turned around and walked into the kitchen, crest fallen.

“She did? Haji really kicked that bully?”

A loud laughter rang across the kitchen, as soon as she entered. Park Chanyeol helping her mother in the kitchen wasn’t a new sight at all, since he had been the same always, whenever he and Sehun came over.

“She did... She kicked him and retrieved the popsicle that boy had snatched away from Jihyo.” Her mom continued spilling her childhood storied to the guy who was eagerly listening and reacting in the most enthusiastic way. “So what else omonim? Anymore heroine acts during grade school?”

Hearing her dragged footsteps, both the mother and the young man turned towards the door way. “I was telling him your embarrassing stories from school days.” Her mom smiled at the girl. “You won’t mind right?”

“Why would I?” Haji walked up to the table, where Chanyeol was peeling garlic. The guy hurriedly ran a hand through his hair (forgetting the smell of garlic on his fingertips), trying to tame the curls and appear more presentable.

“I wouldn’t mind, since it’s Chanyeol oppa.”

Right. She doesn’t mind me.

She didn’t notice the dejected looking eyes, as he returned to peeling the cloves in front of him on the table.

“Omma what are you making?” the girl asked, walking towards the stove and lifting the lid of the pan on it. “Blue crabs? Woah...”

He knew why her face lit up with a bright smile seeing the certain dish being prepared, and it hurt more than being hit square on the face with a fully pumped basket ball.

It wasn’t because she liked blue crabs.

It was because that’s Sehun’s favourite dish.

“Omonim,” Chanyeol called his friend’s mom again, after the girl had left the kitchen.

“Hmm?”

“Should I change my hair colour?”

“Why would you Chanyeol-ah? Black looks great on you!”

“But will girls like it just as you do?”

* * *

“Team dinner? All of a sudden?”

Haji asked Jihyo, as they finished the daily training session and were packing up to leave.

“Yeah, it’s Tzuyu’s birthday, so the gymnastic team invited us over as well.”

“Why us? I mean I know Tzuyu and Mina are quite friendly with you...but not with the rest of us right?”

Jihyo looked at her friend, a smirk glowing on her plump lips. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“What?”

“The gymnastic girls want the basketball team over. Half the guys there are single. Sehun, your brother, Lucas, Minho, Johnny, Tao... So because they can’t just invite one team, they’re using us as an excuse!”

And like that, Haji was dragged that night into a nearby barbecue place with the rest of the tennis team, to join the gymnastic team and the basketball team.

She feared them so much, the gymnastic girls.

Having the best maintained figures and looks in the academy, and being the most confident about themselves, the members of the gymnastic team never failed to win over a guy that they had their eyes on. This was the thing which scared Haji the most, because even now, Sehun was sitting right across her at the table, with Sana and Jeongyeon sitting on each side of him.

I stand no chance right?

“So... Sehun, how hard do you work out to score that much in every match? I mean the way you shoot is just...so professional!”

Sana asked, showing endless interest in the game the guy was an ace at.

“Professional my foot... Do you even know how many members there are in a basketball team?”

Lucas interrupted, making a several people burst out laughing. The girl puffed her cheeks in disappointment, but Sehun answered anyways. “I just workout until I feel I’ve done enough. It sometimes runs for hours... I don’t realize.”

Did he just say yes to her flirting? Why is he smiling so much?

“You do? Then can I join you?” Sana asked back, totally encouraged by his answer.

“Join for what?”

“Working out of course! I know the gym you frequent at...”

“You do? Sure then, why not?”

Stabbing a large chunk of onion in front of her, Haji shoved it into her mouth furiously. “Sehun lives in Hannamdong right? Sana’s from there too.” Jihyo whispered into her ear. “I guess they’re members of the same gym.”

Without replying, Haji stuffed a large lettuce wrap into her mouth, too furious to notice the one who had made it carefully and handed over to her.

Great going Chanyeol... You sat the whole evening beside her yet couldn’t start over any conversation at all!

“It’s okay... Having a crush doesn’t always guarantee happiness.”

Haji mumbled to herself, as she walked alone to the bus stop after the dinner had ended. Jongin hadn’t participated to the dinner since he had an appointment at the physiotherapist’s, so she had to head home all by herself.

And the timing was too bad, for the girl noticed Sehun escorting Sana to a taxi and getting into it with her just a few yards away from the bus stop.

“Sehun lives in Hannamdong right? Sana’s from there too.” She recalled Jihyo’s words.

It’s alright...they’re taking the same taxi since they’re from the same neighbourhood...

Oppa does the same...he sometimes takes the same taxi as Nayeon since she lives next door...

Consoling herself didn’t help much, since this wasn’t the first time Sehun was interested in other girls during the two years she had been interested in him.

In fact, knowing how gorgeous Sana was, and having heard her brother’s praises about the girls from the gymnastic team all the time, she couldn’t help but feel lost and hopeless.

And tears started welling up, despite how she hated being weak.

Down casting her eyes, she cornered herself in the shelter of the bus stop, thankful that there weren’t anyone else at the moment except for a few passersby. Since she couldn’t stop the welled up tears from falling down, she decided to stay staring at her sneakers, until the tears would naturally dry down.

And suddenly a shadow fell upon her, covering the girl from the nearby street lights. Haji raised her head to find a familiar figure standing in front of her, with his back turned towards her.

Stuffing his hands in the baggy denim pockets, with a black hoodie large enough to fit two Sehuns inside, it was Chanyeol, waiting for his bus as usual. And she lowered her head again, not bothering to talk to the guy who didn’t even spare her a single glance.

Until two or three busses stopped by and took off again, yet he didn’t get on to one and leave.

She looked up again. “Oppa aren’t you going home?”

He turned his head sideways, and shook it, making the messy raven curls bounce along.

“Why? Did my brother tell you to watch me leaving or anything?”

“Ani... he didn’t, Haji.”

He pursed his lips, making his plump cheeks look even chubbier.

“Just... Don’t mind me. I’ll stand here... You don’t have to worry about anyone seeing you tearing up.”

Had he been covering me all the time?

She stared at him, but he smiled in return, before turning away from her again and taking out his phone. “I’m not in a hurry to go home, so don’t mind me.”

She didn’t reply, but just watched in silence how he stood there for longer than she could keep track of. And he didn’t budge, and kept scrolling through his SNS feed.

For the first time, she realized how tall he was, how broad those shoulders were, and how reliable Chanyeol looked.

As if he was the safest place to hide.

* * *

She ran into him the next Monday, who greeted her with a smile brighter than any smile she had ever seen.

“Morning, Haji.”

A hand rose awkwardly, giving her a short wave before she returned his greeting. And without waiting for any word from her, he walked into the men’s dressing rooms, leaving a puzzled girl at the entrance.

He actually didn’t ask me about the reason I cried.

Weird.

Just before the first match of the annual tournament with their rival academy started that evening, Haji ran back to the dressing room to meet her brother. Jongin stepped out, ready to leave for the match.

“You can’t come home without winning okay? I’m gonna kick you out!”

“Aish...stop glaring you brat.” Jongin chuckled, ruffling her hair. “We have Yeol and Sehun, so what’s there to worry?”

“But you have to perform more oppa!” Haji complained, almost stomping. “I heard the coach yelling and cussing at you a several days now!”

“Fine fine... I will. Now leave. Wait for us in the pavilion.”

He returned inside, carelessly opening the door wide enough to show the passageway inside which lead to separate changing rooms.

And there in the passage, stood her crush, literally pressed against the wall by Chaeyoung, one of the best golfers in the academy. The girl was clinging onto his jersey, as if begging him for something she didn’t hear about. “Fine... Okay...” Sehun chuckled, catching her hands in his and parting the clingy girl from himself. “I will... Promise.”

“Yah... what’s a girl doing in the men’s changing rooms?”

Haji jumped hearing Minho’s loud voice from behind, and he walked past her into the passage where an uneasy looking Sehun stood with a blushing golfer girl. “Shoo! Go away kiddo!” Minho made his way to them, making Chaeyoung hurriedly leave the place. He banged the door behind her, giving Sehun a slight glance of Haji before the door closed. And Haji didn’t hear Sehun’s panicked voiced questioning Minho.

“Hyung how long did Kim Haji stand there? Did she see Chaeyoung by any chance?”

Haji turned away to leave the place as soon as possible, but she bumped face-first into a jersey-clad chest.

With the familiar number Sixty One on it.

She looked up to meet his gaze, which she thought would be full of pity for her, but instead, his eyes were blank, strangely emotionless and totally unlike the usual Park Chanyeol.

“You’re tearing up again.”

An octave lower, his whispering voice was way deeper than when it sounded when he was laughing with mom.

“Son– Son Chaeyoung...she has nothing to do with Sehun.” He muttered.

Why is he defending Sehun? Does he know my crush by any chance?

“You don’t have to worry... Sehun is just too friendly with everyone. He’s not flirting.”

And awkward hand reached out to pat her shoulder.

“Don’t cry now. I can’t hangout longer because the match will be starting.”

And he walked away, his chest brushing past her shoulder, leaving a totally puzzled Kim Haji frozen to her spot.

Does he know?

And was he this much caring always?

Above all, why does he feel so warm?

I’m not getting any funny ideas am I?

* * *

It was the day of the second match of the tournament, and Haji’s mom opened the door that night to three six footers who stood at their doorstep, leaning on one another, hardly standing straight and totally wasted on alcohol.

“OMMA!!! We lost omma...” Jongin started bawling, leaning forward to cling onto his mother. “Those jerks have their defence planned like hell omma...WE LOST ABHUJI...!!!”

“Goodness these kids...” his mother sighed, dragging her own son into the living room, to be followed by his two friends. “We know you lost Jongin. Your sister told us.” His father sighed from the couch, stifling a smile at his son’s twisted face. “Just look at you! You three look like you all got cheated and dumped by the same woman. What’s this? It’s just a match.”

“It’s NOT JUST A MATCH Abhuji... It was a problem about our pride...! Aigo ommaaaa.....”

Hearing her brother’s bawling, Haji hurried out of her room, only to be greeted by a drunken Sehun on his way to the living room couch.

“We lost Haji-yah...” he halted, pouting at her. Sad Sehun was even rarer than the rarely smiled Sehun, and it actually broke her heart. “We lost to those hoodlums Haji-yah...”

“It’s alright oppa, now go take a seat.” Haji patted his arm, leading him to the couch where her brother was already sprawled on. “Wait I’ll bring you some water.”

She turned to face the third drunken one who had walked behind Sehun, and stopped in front of her in silence.

Chubby cheeks reddened with the effects of alcohol.

The stubborn curls dishevelled than ever.

Silently staring at her as if waiting to hear some comforting words.

And she walked past him.

* * *

It didn’t take long for the three guys to fall asleep on the living room floor, as Jongin’s room was too small for all three of them to fit in. wrapped in the blankets Jongin’s mother had provided, the three lads drifted off to sleep, grumbling about the defeated game and swearing at the opponent team.

The fall nights were getting chillier than ever, making Haji wonder whether the given bedding was enough for the three in the living room to sleep comfortably.

Sehun had been sniffing all evening, as if he was catching a cold.

Making sure her parents were in their room with the door locked and lights turned off, she stepped out of her room, taking a blanket bundled in her arms.

The single wall lamp lit in the living room was enough to flood the room with a really dim yellow light, and using that light, she stepped over the long spread limbs of Chanyeol and Jongin carefully, and reached Sehun who was curled up against Jongin’s side. And she was about to cover him with the second blanket when–

“If I get my hands on that Wu Yifan outside the court... I’ll make sure his...”

Her brother grumbled, raising a clenched fist in sleep. “Sehun-ah that Wu dude can’t be human right?”

Dropping the blanket on the floor at Sehun’s feet, Haji ran to hide behind the nearest window curtain since Jongin sat up muttering curses. Mentally thanking her mom for choosing the heavy coffee brown material for the curtains, she stood behind them, listening to her brother’s grumbling and waiting for him to fall asleep again.

Seriously Kim Jongin... Get some sleep for heaven’s sake!!!

“Yah Park Chanyeol,”

“Hmm...?”

“You aren’t asleep right?”

“Hmm...”

“I need to go for round two... Let’s head out for some beer Yeol.”

What beer just go to sleep you NINI BEAR!

“What beer just go back to sleep. you threw up twice you punk!” She heard Chanyeol push aside his blankets and get up.

Seriously the guy I have for a brother...

“You traitor are you going to have beer without me?”

“Beer my foot... I’m going to the bathroom Jongin...”

She heard Jongin drop back on his pillow with a groan, and she waited until she heard Chanyeol’s unsteady footsteps die away towards the bathroom, so that she can step out of her hiding place and return to her room.

Just then, scaring the life out of Haji, the curtain parted from the window at her left.

And Chanyeol was standing there, leaning on the wall with one arm, staring at her in the half darkness.

“What are you doing here?”

There goes that deep lowered voice...now sounding extra tempting courtesy the alcohol he had.

Wait, I’m not supposed to think of such stuff right now, am I?

“Why hiding here, Haji?”

“Hmm...???” Sehun hummed aloud, making the girl jump in shock again. “Jongin-ah Chanyeol hyung’s calling you...”

He tossed and turned over in his blankets, making Chanyeol turn his way and notice the hot pink teddy bear blanket at the youngest’s feet.

Making the girl even more horrified, he stepped into her hiding space.

One step closer.

And another.

He was now standing right in front of her, the darkness behind the curtain making it harder for the girl to read the emotions on his face. Being bare feet in front of him made her realize how tall he actually was, now towering over her, his breath reeking of the fruit soju which was her brother’s favourite.

“P...C...Y... you traitor you’re having beer alone aren’t you?”

Jongin’s voice rose outside the curtains again, making the girl flinch and step back. But Chanyeol caught her wrist, preventing the girl from stepping out from the curtain.

“Why couldn’t you just say ‘You did well’ to me, Haji?”

His question came out in a whisper, not loud enough to travel past the rough material covering them.

“I also was in the team which lost the game today... In fact, I’m the captain so it’s harder for me than any of them.”

Unconsciously, the girl was being pulled towards him by the wrist he was clutching at. Meanwhile Jongin had started a string of incoherent muttering, making the girl start trembling in fear of both her brother and the guy towering over her.

“You don’t even bother looking at me, do you Haji?”

His free hand placed itself at the base of her neck, where the collarless pajama shirt’s neckline had ended.

“I’m that nerd...or geek...or whatever they call me...a fashion disaster, no jam guy, so I’m nowhere near your ideal type, right?”

Adding more to her jumbled mind, Sehun’s unsteady snoring was heard, averting her attention from Chanyeol for a brief second.

It drew him off the edge, making him pull the girl by her wrist to enclose the final inches between them.

“O-oppa, you’re drunk.”

She held her breath, and bit her lower lip.

Feeling nervous, a hundred times more nervous than she feels in front of Sehun.

Ignoring her words, he leaned down, making the raven curls brush against her face.

To her surprise, Haji couldn’t resist.

Knowing perfectly well that the man of her dreams wasn’t the one claiming her right now, she didn’t turn away.

All she could think of was the strange feeling of warmth he had left with her, so she couldn’t push him away.

“How long is he gonna pee? Captain Park?” Jongin sighed, rolling over to Chanyeol’s pillow.

Meanwhile the said Captain was kissing the girl behind the curtains with courage he’d never have while being sober, the high level of alcohol running in his veins knocking all the reasoning out of him. Haji felt her wrist being released as both his hands found their way up each side of her face, caressing and soothing the trembling away from her.

The fruit soju was tasting stronger on her lips with each passing second, reminding the girl of her brother who was right outside the curtain and she was actually supposed to be hiding right now.

Yet she couldn’t stop, and she couldn’t resist, since each gentle movement of Chanyeol felt so warm.

And so loving.

Not a single ounce of those emotions, she had ever felt from Sehun, or about Sehun.

“Chanyeollie hyung...you beer traitor...having abhuji’s beer alone...”

“Just sleep Jongin! Aish... you woke me up as well.”

Sehun’s voice sounded a bit sober now, and slightly annoyed by Jongin’s nonstop babbling. It made the girl break away from Chanyeol, finally opening her eyes to the semi darkness.

“Stop.” Chanyeol whispered, enclosing the gap she had made between them yet again.

“Stop liking him already... I’m fed up with this.”

And she was pulled into his kiss again, his lips moulding with hers in the way she had dreamt Sehun to do, yet way more affectionate, Park Chanyeol being unlike the awkward geek he always had been.

And he didn’t let go, until his two pals fell into deep slumbers again.

* * *

Waking up had never felt so difficult, given that Haji actually was a morning person which she proudly admitted. But this morning, she woke up with something which felt both like a headache and a cold, or maybe gastritis, or migraine,

Or maybe an extreme confusion she couldn’t find an answer for.

Screw me for taking out blankets at night and ending up getting puzzled like this...

And screw you Park Chanyeol, for confusing me like this when I’ve been so loyal to my crush all this time.

Stepping out after making herself clean and presentable, she walked into the kitchen to find everyone already up and sitting for breakfast.

Everyone except Chanyeol.

And yes, Chanyeol was the one she looked for.

She sat beside her dad and receiver a bowl of porridge from her mom, but her eyes ran towards her brother’s room where the door flung open and the one she had been looking for, stepped out.

He had hastily washed his face, and hadn’t remembered to brush his hair and had just thrown one of Jongin’s chequered shirts over the tank top he had been wearing last night, without even buttoning up.

“Chanyeol-ah, are you leaving already?” Jongin’s dad asked, looking over his news paper.

“Yes, abeonim, gotta go. Omonim I’ll get going!” he hastily waved at the two guys as well, and without spearing the slightest glance at the girl who was staring at him, he strode out of the house.

“Chanyeol-ah have breakfast before leaving!” her mom called after him, but the young lad had already left.

Minutes later, Haji felt her phone vibrate in her skirt pocket. And it was a text message, from the guy who had just left.

From; Chanyeol Oppa

“I’m sorry for what happened last night Haji. I was drunk and out of my mind. Forgive me for not controlling myself.”

Deep down, she didn’t want him to apologize. She didn’t want him to blame it on alcohol, yet Sehun sitting in front of her and groaning over his hangover soup made her rethink, forcing herself to turn back to her unrequited love. And another text followed the first one, yet again from the same sender.

“Just forget everything I said... I’m extremely sorry.”

Apologizing is not what he should be doing right now... That’s not how things work right?

* * *

“I should be shopping with girls of my age or with my mom... So why am I being dragged out with you?”

Haji whined, while being dragged into a men’s formal wear boutique in town by her one and only brother.

“Ugh...my precious weekend...”

“Stop nagging girl... I’m gonna buy you new sneakers with my hardly earned money.” Jongin added indignantly, walking into the boutique with her, closely followed by Sehun. “Sehun’s good at choosing outfits but we need you to choose what’ll look best in a girl’s eyes.”

“What’s so special about the wedding oppa... Eighty percent of the guests will be neighbourhood ajummas and their husbands! You know what aunty Eunjung is like!”

“That’s the point! Neighbourhood ajummas need to see me as Prince Charming! Then they’ll go home and ask their daughters, ‘haven’t you seen Song Insuk’s son? Oh my goodness he’s a living piece of art! The perfect son-in-law anyone could have! Why can’t you girls date a guy like him? You should give it a try!’ then their daughters become interested in me...and...mission success!”

“Oppa,” Haji looked at her brother, giving him the sympathetic look she could put on her face. “Are you sure that you got all the vaccine injections they give when you’re a kid? Because I often wonder whether you’ve missed one of them or else got overdosed on one.”

Sehun burst out laughing next to a puzzled Jongin who was trying to figure out what his sister meant, while Haji walked up to the employee who came to greet them into the shop. “Coffee brown suits, and grey ones please, for him.” she said, pointing at her now glaring brother.

A few minutes later, Jongin stepped out of the fit-on room, adjusting the tuxedo he had on. Haji raised her head from the magazine she was reading, while she had been waiting for Jongin with Sehun. Seeing her brother in the suit, made a proud smile brighten up her face.

It was a brown tweed tuxedo, matched with a dark brown tie, beige shirt and dark brown shoes, everything fitting perfectly well with Jongin’s tanned complexion and model-like build.

“Once in a life time, you make me feel proud to have an oppa like you.” the girl stated rather matter-of-factly. “Forget the brains, at least you’ve got appa’s looks.”

Jongin checked himself in the nearest mirror with a smirk. “That’s it then. We’re buying this, and no more fitting on!”

“Wait Jongin.” Sehun stood up from the couch, in a hurry. “I... I need a suit as well.”

It was rather blurted out than actually said.

“For what?” Jongin blinked at him. “You’re having a wedding as well?”

“Nah...a dinner at the company my dad works at.” Sehun explained, slowly turning towards the girl. “You can pick a suit for me as well right?”

Haji nodded faster than she thought, suddenly feeling more important than ever.

Sehun had asked her to choose a suit for him.

He was trusting her taste in fashion for the first time ever!!!

“Sure, oppa.” She replied with a grin, which Sehun returned with a nod, before calling an employee.

And he stepped out wearing the dark blue suit Haji had picked for him, with a matching midnight blue tie and a white shirt and brown shoes, expecting to see the biggest reaction from the girl.

What Sehun wanted was not the suit. What he wanted was her reaction, and he hoped it to be the same as she did for Jongin.

Maybe she will fall for him as well.

That’s what Sehun thought.

“Woah!”

The exclamation left her lips before she knew it, and Haji had her eyes wide open, staring at him in awe.

Just like Sehun expected.

It might work right?

“Oppa...don’t you ever take Sehun oppa with you to parties!” she slapped on her brother’s thigh, to which Jongin replied with a painful sigh and a nod. “I mean, he’s just like a model! Oppa you should’ve become an idol instead of playing basketball!” she said, turning back to Sehun. The young man suppressed his smile of content, and straightened his blazer. “Then should I buy this?” he asked the girl again.

“Of course! That one’s practically made for you!”

Grinning to himself, Sehun went back to change himself. Meanwhile Haji was still blinking in awe, thinking just how handsome Sehun looked.

Isn’t that what they call ‘drop dead gorgeous’? She thought. You’re just too good to be true, Oh Sehun, and I’m proud of my choice.

Walking out of the boutique, the three of them started walking home. And that was when he decided to step out of the convenience store they were passing by, just to be shocked out of his life.

Yes, Park Chanyeol.

The tall strapping youth came to an abrupt stop seeing the two guys, and especially, the girl. He raised a hand at his two friends with a low ‘Hey’, and decided to avoid the girl’s eyes.

Meanwhile Haji started wondering why her heart gave a jolt as soon as she saw him, and kept on hammering against her rib cage while her brother and Sehun started talking with him.

Sehun wearing a tuxedo didn’t make her heart pound.

Weird...I used to even dream of him on the days when he looked extra good in Louis Vuitton shirts...

It’s was just now that she realized, seeing Sehun a few minutes ago made her awestruck, but her face wasn’t heating up at his sight like it was doing right now.

Yet Chanyeol was just wearing a pair of maroon cargo shorts with a faded grey Iron Man t-shirt, with just rubber flip flops on and a black plastic bag hanging off his fingers.

Is it the kiss? But it can’t be just the kiss that’s bothering me...even before that...

And he smiled widely at something Jongin had mentioned. And the smile made the girl withdraw her assumption that the kiss had turned his mind upside down.

It was not just the kiss.

Park Chanyeol was just increasing her heart rate these days.

“Oppa what’s in the bag?” she decided to ask finally, trying to sound normal without gaping at them in silence. Surprised that she actually noticed the bag in his hand, Chanyeol replied at once. “This? Ah...just some ramyeon.” He gave her the same grin he had given Jongin, forgetting their awkwardness for a moment. “My mom and dad are attending a funeral in Daegu. So I’m alone at home for lunch.”

“Then come eat at our place!” Haji suggested, making both Chanyeol and Sehun stare at her.

“Should- should I then?” Chanyeol looked at Jongin, who shrugged with no concern at all. “It’s ramyeon for us as well...omma had to join abhuji’s annual check up since he was whining all week...so why not have it together?”

“How about kimchi fried rice? Or bibimbap?”

Haji suggested, as soon as the four of them set foot into their place, making Jongin blink at her. “You’re not growing a tail or horns...right? What’s with the sudden affection?”

Because Chanyeol’s face already looks bloated by last night’s ramyeon? He shouldn’t be having more...

“As if I haven’t cooked for you before.” She huffed at her brother before walking into the kitchen.

Half expecting Chanyeol to follow her, because he was always her mom’s beloved son giving her a hand in cooking.

But it was Sehun who followed.

“What can I do?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “Is there anything I can help with?”

Haji gapped at him for a second before answering. “Um...what about washing the rice? Can you do that while I chop the vegies?”

“Why not?” he hurried towards the sink at once. “Where’s the rice?”

You’re being so not yourself, Oh Sehun.

“Um... Haji?”

“Hmm?”

“You free on our finals?”

“Of course I’m coming!” the girl chuckled, turning her head away from the chopping board and looking at him. “That Kim Jongin will rip my head off if I don’t come.”

To be honest I’ve cleared my practice schedules since weeks and postponed our high school besties meet up so I can cheer you at the finals...

“I’ll be cheering you! So make sure you win.” She said, grinning at him. And Sehun nodded, a rare smile curving up his thin lips.

“I’m eating this because I can’t hurt your feelings...pay our medical bills if we end up in the ER.” Jongin huffed before helping himself for the second bowl of fried rice. And Haji nearly choked on her water when Sehun took one large of cheese sausage and placed it on her rice.

Since when was Sehun this much concerned about me?

But before she could react his gesture in any way, the sausage was taken away with a pair of chopsticks, and went straight into Chanyeol’s mouth.

“Yah...” Sehun glared at his friend.

“She doesn’t like cheesy stuff.” Chanyeol muttered as he continued to carelessly munch away.

Heck...that was kinda sexy...

Sehun couldn’t stop glaring at the older one for a few seconds longer, and the topic changed from the cheese sausage to basketball when Jongin brought the finals up.

* * *

“Whomever left the swimming complex equips in the tennis department, will have to drown and die for making us work like this!” Jihyo huffed in anger while carrying a pile of white towels to the swimming arena. The two girls whom were assisting her as per their coach’s instructions, Haji and Dahyun, nodded in agreement as they followed Jihyo with equally large piles of more towels. “Thank god those rowdy kids of the swimming team are not there on Thursdays. Otherwise they’ll take this chance to call us their slaves for the rest of the year!”

“Unnie!” Dahyun hissed suddenly, freeing one of her hands from the towel load and tugging at Jihyo’s sleeve. “Unnie look! Over there!”

They were just entering the arena when they started hearing laughter and yelling from the cornermost pool, and even from far, it wasn’t hard to tell the tall figures in the water were the basketball team.

The three girls automatically took cover behind a wall, not exactly knowing what they were actually doing. “Why are we hiding anyways?” Jihyo blinked at the younger girl who had dragged her behind the wall. Dahyun grinned meekly in reply. “First lemme spot where Oh Sehun is. Once we find him, it’s easy to keep my eyes on him as we ‘casually’ pass by them? Get me?”

Jihyo nodded with an equal grin, and patted on Haji’s towel pile. “Hey, find your brother as well. Is he there?”

“Between Lucas and Minho...there...the one hooting with laughter.”

“Ah...so cute...and oh! Dahyun-ah there’s Sehun! Gosh he’s sitting on the pool edge...ugh...talk about the effects of Hannamdong gyms...he should become a Calvin Klein model...”

Pressing her lips together in suppressed laughter, Haji took the leading step to walk past the set of pools.

I can use Jongin as an excuse and maybe wave at Sehun...

Turning around the wall they were hiding, the first thing she saw was a guy who was out of the water already, and walking towards them.

Haji dropped the pile of towels at her feet. within a second realizing how stupid she might have looked, she dropped on her knees and started collecting them.

WHY HIM? WHY PARK CHANYEOL OF ALL PEOPLE HAD TO SHOW UP ALL OF A SUDDEN?

AND THAT TOO, DRIPPING WITH WATER FROM HEAD TO TOE, WEARING JUST THOSE FREAKING BLACK SHORTS?

Dead afraid the girls or Chanyeol might see her beet red face, she continued to fold the towels and stack them hastily.

And he decided to crouch down in front of her.

“Can I take one from them?” he asked, peering into her face.

Alright...now I know why he has such a deep voice...it’s to match that Greek god build of his...heck why is it getting so hot in the swimming arena???

She looked up at him, and he pursed his lips, causing the dimple to appear on his left cheek.

Wet black locks stuck on his forehead, and the broad shoulders and the well sculptured torso was making it harder for the girl to not look downwards from his collarbones, but all the same, those puffy cheeks with that dimple managed to keep her eyes fixed on his face.

Haji had never realized how breathtaking he had always been.

“About that incident...” he looked down at the towels, and took one into his hands, while the girl kept staring at him. “I’m so sorry again...if I offended you.” he looked back at her. “I- well I know you like someone else. So I’m sorry.” He had lowered his voice so the two girls waiting for her in a distance wouldn’t hear him.

He stood up before she did, and walked away with the towel he took.

Haji got back on her feet as well, and looked at the pool to find Sehun waving at her with a slight smile. And she waved back, yet too busy getting lost in thoughts to hear Dahyun squealing beside her about how lucky she was.

“Oppa,” still lost in thoughts, she interrupted Jongin’s nonstop complaining about the slippery tiles in the swimming arena where he slipped and fell in front of Jihyo. “Oppa when did you last have a crush on someone?”

“Gosh...crushes...I had one this morning for Jihyo when she showed up with you at the pool...and had to give up when I fell like a hoodlum in front of her.” he sighed again.

“Not that type of crushes oppa! Something serious I mean. Then tell me when was your last relationship? The actual one?”

Jongin bit his lip and thought hard. “It was my final year in high school I guess...remember Nana? She was the one who asked me out when I had never thought about her even for once, but it did work out pretty well. We dated until she moved to Canada an year later, and that too, on good terms, she still texts me once in a while and so do I.”

Haji kept staring at him for a moment, wondering whether her childish brother could give her any valuable advice if she explained him about her situation. “Let me tell you something Kim Haji.” Jongin stopped on his track.

“People always tell us to be rational instead of following out hearts. But you know, our brains are just like computers...they work based on the data we feed them. Even if we have a change of hearts for our own good, the brain will keep pressing us work on the data we’ve registered earlier. So I prefer following my heart. It’s the heart which knows what’s best for us. Not the data based brain.”

* * *

They won the finals, with flying colours from Sehun, with a winning score of 127 to 93, erupting the stadium with cheers. Haji too, was screaming at the top of her lungs with the rest of her tennis pals, as the winning team jogged round the court after greeting their opponents and coaches, waving at the spectators. Her cheering stopped abruptly when Jongin suddenly gave a limp, as he walked past the bleachers where she was at. The girl almost ran out of the rows of seats when he raised a hand at her, and shook his head with a smile, showing that he was alright. And Chanyeol approached him soon with a beaming face, to throw his arm around the younger male’s shoulder and escort him to the changing rooms.

He definitely smiles like sunshine when he’s truly happy.

They waited for the next few minutes in their seats, waiting for the presentation of trophies to start.

And to Haji’s worry, her brother and Chanyeol was not there to be seen when the two teams walked back into the court.

“The Most Valuable Player of the game trophy goes to... Oh Sehun!”

The stadium erupted with cheers again, mostly from the female spectators, and Sehun stepped forward to receive his trophy.

“The winning team’s trophy will also be collected by the MVP, as the Captain of the team is not present in the stadium at the moment.”

“What happened? Where’s Chanyeol?” Haji grabbed Mark, who was a golfer and a close friend of her brother, and was sitting in the front row. The boy shook his head with a shrug. “Maybe injured? No idea noona.”

She was worried and scanning the whole area to catch a glimpse of the head which stood tall among everyone usually, and didn’t see the MVP who was now being surrounded by his team members, yet had his eyes fixated on her.

And as the presentation ended shortly, and the defeated team was exiting the stadium closely followed by the winners, Sehun approached the edge of the court where the bleachers started. Most of the young people left in the stadium turned their heads Sehun’s way, and then looked to find whom he had his eyes on.

Haji didn’t realize until Jihyo patted on her thigh, because she was busy dialling Jongin’s number.

Holding his MVP trophy behind his back, and chewing his bottom lip in uncertainty, he was waiting till she looked at him. “Yah Kim Haji! He’s calling you!” Jihyo nudged her and hissed.

And once she looked down at him from her seat, without thinking twice, Sehun held up his trophy towards her. “Did my best to win this so I can brag to you...” he bit his lip again, before continuing his little speech which drew the attention of everyone around them by now. “Uh...I should’ve asked this earlier... Kim Haji, will you go out with me?”

* * *

“I ruined the photo you’d have taken holding up the trophy, didn’t I?”

Jongin pouted, staring at his casted right leg. “Mian...hyung.”

“Yah, is the trophy the most important thing here?” Chanyeol punched him on the arm, and ran a hand through his own hair before taking a seat beside Jongin on the hospital bed. “Thank goodness you weren’t hurt further than this. Let’s rest well and get this thing healed before the next tournament season starts okay?”

Jongin turned to peek into his face. “Hyung... I think Sehun was gonna ask her out after the game today. He was so desperate to win the MVP title so he could do it in front of everyone.” He bit his lip, still peering into the older one’s face.

Chanyeol pressed his lips together, as usual, and nodded with a smile. “He must have done it by now.”

“You okay hyung?”

Chanyeol slowly nodded again, and started rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not like I had a chance anyway.”

It took him a few seconds to realize. “Wait, Jongin-ah!” he looked at Jongin with nearly popping out eyes. “How did... did you know it all along?”

“Am I blind or what?” Jongin scoffed. “To not notice how the two of you were having a cold war over my sister? Sehun wasn’t that obvious though... You were the one who was always following her with your eyes like a puppy...even omma knows.”

“You mom knows???” Chanyeol shot up to his feet, raising his voice forgetting they were in a hospital ward. And he flopped on the bed again, covering his face in embarrassment. “Aish... How can I step in there again...”

“OPPA!”

Both guys looked up hearing the familiar voice, and Haji darted towards the bed from the ward entrance. The girl ran to Jongin’s bed, and clapped her hand to her mouth when the cast caught her eyes. “What happened...why didn’t you call me???”

“Stop yelling and embarrassing me Miss Kim!” Jongin chuckled. “No bone fractures. Just a bad ripping of tissues, they forced me into this cast because this gramps here said I will be moving around otherwise.” He said, pointing at Chanyeol. “By the way, where’s Sehun?”

“He was just about to leave the stadium with me when you coach dragged him away saying there’s so ‘essential stuff’ to be taken care of.” Haji explained. “Now can you go home? Should I call a cab?”

* * *

Haji was gapping at Chanyeol when he carried Jongin on his back, took the younger one into his room from the taxi and helped him lie down on his bed. And it took another several minutes before Chanyeol managed to explain their parents that his condition wasn’t critical, and all he needed was a few weeks’ rest.

And he stepped out of the house, without bidding goodbye to the girl.

And was walking down the lane towards the bus stop, not knowing that he was being followed.

“Chanyeol... Oppa! Yah Park Chanyeol!”

He came to an abrupt halt and turned around. “Haji?”

She came running down the lane, and stopped leaning on her knees, panting hard. “I just went to the kitchen to fetch you a juice and you ran out just like that?”

“Uh...it’s alright. I’ll be there tomorrow to see Jongin anyways.” He turned to leave.

“Sehun asked me out today.” She didn’t know where all the courage was coming up from, but the only thing that worked in her head was her brother’s words.

“I prefer following my heart. It’s the heart which knows what’s best for us.”

“So?” chanyeol was sounding offended for the first time.

Hurt, to be exact. “What does that have to do with me?”

“Because...because it’s me! I’m the girl he asked out!”

“Good luck with your new boyfriend...” his voice lowered with lost courage. “Good night.”

This time she caught his arm before he could leave. She gripped his wrist tightly over his watch. “I said no to him.”

His eyes widened than ever, and they travelled down to his wrist, and back to her face. “Why? Didn’t you like him...for like two years?”

“You’re the one at fault!” she glared at him. “I don’t feel those butterflies for him anymore... He must have been embarrassed in front of everyone when I said that...but I couldn’t help but tell the truth.” She sighed.

“What did you tell him?”

“Told him that I like someone else.”

“Someone else?” he blinked. “Wait...you’ve been after him ever since I knew you...and it’s Oh Sehun we’re talking about...” he ran a hand through his raven curls and looked down at her in disbelief. “Haji—”

“IT’S YOUR FAULT PARK CHANYEOL!!!”

“Yah! You’ll wake up the whole neighbourhood!”

“It’s your fault Park Chanyeol!” she lowered her voice this time. “You shouldn’t have confused me like that...and...and...”

He watched her in silence, waiting for her to continue.

Finally, seeing a glimpse of hope, for his forever unrequited love. “And?”

“And I’m so sorry...for not noticing.” She bit her lip. “I’m so sorry for not caring.”

A smile started curving up his lips, and he leaned down to her eye level. “Then, is this you giving me a chance, Kim Haji?” he tilted his head, pursing his lips together.

And it made her poke his dimpled cheek. “Then properly ask me out. Without running away like last time.”

He continued to watch her in silence, still unable to believe the situation. “Since when?” Haji asked, as she stopped poking at his cheek and met his gaze. “Since Jongin said ‘Hyung this is my dongseng, Kim Haji.’” He replied.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you liked Sehunnie?”

“Then why did you do that...that night, you know,”

“Because I couldn’t hold it in anymore...and I was dead drunk, you know,”

She poked his cheek again. And raised her hand to gently ruffle his unruly curls, while he remained still, watching her every move. Then her hand went softly combing through his hair, and the girl pressed her lips on his.

Stayed there for a few moments, before parting away.

“You’re going out with me, aren’t you Kim Haji?” he asked, placing his hand over hers, which was still in his hair. The girl nodded, and a smile broke through her tightly pressed lips. “I just said yes even before you asked.”

And he held the girl tightly around the waist, making her stand on tip toes as he kissed her again, completely sober and claiming her without any guilt this time. He gently nibbled on her bottom lip before letting go of her waist, just to run his hand through her hair just like she did to his. “Should I sleep in? Jongin would need someone for help.” He suggested before catching her lips again.

“Just go home...you have practices tomorrow as well.”

“Tomorrow’s free...Should I come for breakfast then? Jongin will be bored being in bed all day.”

“Look at this so-called Responsible Captain taking his injured team member as an excuse to see a girl!” the girl pinched his cheek, and Chanyeol brushed tip of his nose on hers. “It’s because I have so much to catch up with. Two years worth of stuff to tell you.”

“I’ll make up for everything.” She said, reassuring him earnestly. “I’ll make up for every single moment I ignored and missed.” And she poked his cheek again with a bright grin. “Gotta tell omma that I got a boy finally. And that too, a really adorable and handsome one.”

-THE END-


End file.
